Thursday, October 16, 2014

Power of Money

By Adam Khoo ( Singapore 's youngest millionaire at 26 yrs.)

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand and Suzhou ( China ) . I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is traveling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire. ' He still looked pretty confused.

This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires'). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment they earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster.

Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky).

I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur's Orgn) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business), I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth well over $5 m, travelled economy class and some even drove Toyotas and Nissans, not Audis, Mercs, BMWs..

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation.

Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.

Material happiness never lasts, it just gives you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life..

Instead, what makes me happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries.

What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life.

What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this blog is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be it teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness

Yesterday, I was driving, and the FM radio went off for few seconds. I thought, I should have an iPod. Then suddenly I realized that I have not used my iPod😕 in last 6 months. And then, more things, Handy cam📹 in last 2 years, Digital Camera in last 2 months, DVD player in last 1 month and many more.

Now I can say that I bought that Handy cam📹 just out of impulse, I have used it twice only in last 4 years.

So, what's wrong and where ? 

When I look at myself or my friends, I can see it everywhere... ✅

We are Not Happy with what we have, but all are stressed and not happy for the things we don't have😐.

You have a Santro, but you want City;

You have a City, but you want Skoda.

Just after buying a new phone, we need another one.

Better Laptop,

Bigger TV,

Faster Car,

Bigger House,

More Money,

And, I mean... these examples are endless.🚫

The point is, does it is ACTUALLY WORTH 😐😐

Do we ever think if we actually need those things before we want them ?

After this, I was forced to think what I need and what I don't.

May be I didn't need this Handy cam📹 or the iPod or that DVD player.

When I see my Father back at home, He has a simple BPL colour TV, he doesn't need 32" Sony LCD wall mount.
He has a cell phone worth Rs 2,500. Whenever I ask him to change the phone, he always says, "It's a phone; I need this just for calls."☑

And, believe me; he is much happier in life than me with those limited resources and simple gadgets

The very basic reason why he is happy with so little is that he doesn't want things in life to make it luxurious, but he wants only those things which are making his life easier. ✅✅

It's a Very Fine line between these two, but after looking my father's life style closely, I got the point.

He needs a cell phone but not the iPhone. He needs a TV but not the 32" plasma. He needs a car but not an expensive one.

Initially, I had lot of questions.I am earning good; Still I am not happy...Why? I have all luxuries; still I am stressed.... ......Why? I had a great weekend, still I am feeling tired...... why?

I met lot of people, I thought over it again and again, I still don't know if I got the answers, but certainly figured out few things.

I realized that one thing which is keeping me stressed is the "Stay Connected" Syndrome..

I realized that, at home also I am logged in on messengers, checking mails, using social networks, and on the top of that, the windows mobile is not letting me disconnected..
On the weekend itself, trying to avoid unwanted calls 📵... and that is keeping my mind always full of stress.😤

I realized that I am spending far lesser money than what I earn; even then I am always worried about money and more money.

I realized that I am saving enough money I would ever need, whenever needed. Still I am stressed about job and salary and spend.

😐May be, many people will call this approach "not progressive attitude", but I want my life back. 

Ultimately, it's a single life, a day gone is a day gone. I believe if I am not happy tonight, I'll never be happy tomorrow morning. 😐

I finally realized that Meeting Friends, Spending Quality Time with your Loved one's; Spending Time with Yourself is the most important thing

If, on Sunday, you are alone and you don't have anybody to talk with, then all that luxuries life, all that money is wasted.. 

May be, cutting down your requirements, re-calculating your future goal in the light of today's happiness is a worthwhile thing to do.. 

May be, selling off your Santro and buying Honda City on EMIs is not a good idea. I believe putting your happiness ahead of money is the choice we need to make

I think, a lot can be said and done but what we need the most is re-evaluation of the value of happiness and time we are giving to our life and people associated with it 

Friday, May 30, 2014

FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION.........!!!!!!!!

A man opened his wife's closet of clothes. It was lined with sarees that she had worn just once, may be twice. There were others that had been kept away unused, waiting for a special occasion. He opened her jewellery box. It was neatly packed with necklaces and earrings that had not been worn for so long that he had even forgotten that she had them. There were rings and bracelets that she had cherished with care. There were old bangles that his mother had given to her. They too, lay packed in silken pouches all for a special occasion.

He moved to the crockery closet in their dinning room. Rows of crystal glasses and expensive chinaware, stared at him sadly. The silver cutlery set that he had bought her still lay in its suede jacket, waiting for a special occasion. There were so many souvenirs around the house that stared gloomily at him. He looked at his beloved wife's picture hanging on the wall, garlanded with freshly strung jasmine flowers. He had performed her last rites just yesterday. She had passed away, after a prolonged and painful illness

All the things that she had bought, with so much fervour, but never got to use, hit him like arrows. He was full of regret. Why had she not worn those lovely sarees? Why had she spent her life scrimping and scraping for the tomorrow that she never woke up to? Why had they not dinned in their silver and crystal? No one is as special as you and your family. No moment or occasion is as special as NOW

There is surely a lot of sense in saving for a rainy day, but at the same time we must learn to live in the present. Live life to the fullest and don't worry about the next day, it's already tomorrow in Australia! Past is history; future is a mystery; today is a gift from God, that is why it is called the 'PRESENT!'🔹💞🙇💞🔹

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

When we are in heaven our money is still in the bank.
When we are alive we don't have enough money to spend.
When we are gone there is still a lot of money not spent.
One tycoon in China passed away, His widow, left with $1.9 billion in the bank, remarried his chauffeur.
His chauffeur said, "All the while I thought I was working for my boss. Now only I realise that my boss was all the time working for me !!! "
The cruel reality is:
It is more important to live longer than to have more wealth.
So we must strive to have a strong and healthy body, It doesn't matter who is working for who.
A high end hand phone, 70% of the functions are useless.
An expensive car, 70% of the speed is not needed.
A luxurious villa, 70% of the space is not occupied.
A whole wardrobe of clothes, 70% of it is not worn.
A whole life of earning, 70% is for other people to use.
So we must protect and make full use of our 30%.
Go for medical exam even if not sick.
Drink more water even if not thirsty.
Must let go even if faced with grave problems.
Must give in even if you are in the right.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each one a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with eachother, pushing around others and there was utter chaos.

At the end of 5 minutes no one could find their own balloon.

Now each one was asked to randomaly collect a balloon and give it to the the person whose name was written on it.

Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.

The speaker began--- Exactly this is happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is.

Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness, you will get your own happiness.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

FOCUS........ I was jogging one day and i noticed a person in front of me, about 1/4 of mile. I could tell he was running a little slower than me and I thought, good, i shall try to catch him. I had about a mile to go my path before i needed to turn off. So i started running faster and faster. Every block, i was gaining on him just a little bit. After just a few minutes i was only about 100 yards behind him, so i really picked up the pace and pushed myself.

You would have thought i was running in the last leg of London Olympic competition. I was determined to catch him.

Finally, i did it! I caught and passed him by. On the inside i felt so good. "I beat him" of course, he didn't even know we were racing.

After i passed him, i realized i had been so focused on competing against him that i had missed my turn. I had gone nearly six blocks past it. I had to turn around and go all back.

Isn't that what happens in life when we focus on competing with co-workers, neighbors, friends, family, trying to out do them or trying to prove that we are more successful or more important?

We spend our time and energy running after them and we miss out on our own paths to our God given destinies.

The problem with unhealthy competition is that its a never ending cycle. There will always be somebody ahead of you, someone with better job, nicer car, more money in the bank, more education, a prettier wife, a more handsome husband, better behaved children, etc.

But realize that "You can be the best that you can be, you are competing with no one."

Some people are insecure because they pay too much attention 2 what others are doing, where others are going, wearing & driving.

Take what God has given you, the height, weight & personality. Dress well & wear it proudly! You'll be blessed by it. Stay focused and live a healthy life. There's no competition in DESTINY, run your own RACE and wish others WELL!!!